1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a boating safety device. More particularly, the invention is a portable self-rescue device for kayakers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Kayaking is an exciting and action-packed sport that has gained popularity in this country, especially in the Western part of the United States. Unfortunately, like many exciting sports, kayaking can also be very dangerous, especially for inexperienced kayakers. There are a variety of boating safety devices for kayakers and other types of watercraft which are reflected in the related art.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 457,121 issued to Gyzybowski on May 14, 2002, outlines the use of an ornamental design for a watercraft stabilizer.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,369,670 issued to Kauffman on Feb. 22, 1921, outlines the use of an attachment for light watercraft, such as boats, and has for its primary objective to provide these boats with outriggers to prevent the upsetting of the watercraft.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,417 issued to Beckner on Nov. 3, 1970, outlines the use of a stabilizer unit for canoes having a pair of rigid support elements and a pair of connector members, each extending between common opposite ends of the support elements. A polyurethane foam stabilizer float is carried by and encloses a portion of each of the connector members.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,795 issued to Ruiz on Oct. 3, 1978, outlines the use of a marine craft maintained floating in a capsized condition by floatation components which permit angular displacement substantially about a rotational axis established intermediate to the bow and stern. Venting of air entrapped within the craft forwardly of the rotational axis initiates angular displacement of the hull until the marine craft assumes a stabilized position intermediate to the capsized and the upright positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,650 issued to Nishida on Oct. 20, 1987, outlines the use of an arrangement for returning a small boat from an overturned position to a normal upright position. The boat has a substantially enclosed room and a partition provided in the room adjacent the bottom of the craft to form in the room an upper compartment and a lower compartment under the upper compartment. The lower compartment is adapted to contain water and the partition is adapted to substantially prevent the water from entering the upper compartment when the marine craft is overturned.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,551 issued to Ace on Feb. 28, 1989, outlines the use of a portable outrigger assembly particularly useful on a canoe. The assembly has a pontoon and a supporting structure of first and second supports for the pontoon. The first set of supports includes adjustable clamping assemblies for clamping to both sides of the canoe with the first set of supports extending generally horizontally outwardly from only one side of the canoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,236 issued to Sinden on Jun. 26, 1990, outlines the use of a fully symmetrical sailboat that includes a mechanism that balances the moment of a sailor on a boom against the force of the wind on the sail in such a way that the hull remains level. The sailboat has a hull with both lateral and longitudinal symmetry and a rig with a short and rotatable mast.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,844 issued to Barr on Dec. 18, 1990, outlines the use of a safety device for small watercraft, especially for canoes, with an extensible stabilizing float of the outrigger-type. The float is shaped to conform to the side of the hull and is stored thereagainst while transporting or portaging the canoe or traveling in the canoe in moderate weather. The stabilizing float is deployed whenever stability is required, permitting one to stand in the canoe or haul objects from the water without the fear of tipping over.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,248 issued to Blachford on Jan. 18, 1994, outlines a method and use of an apparatus for reducing the skill required of a paddler to right a capsized kayak without exiting it and to avoid the dangers associated with exiting a kayak after being capsized. In broad terms, the paddler is provided with a simple and rapid way of creating a buoyant force to one side of the capsized kayak, which can be used to produce a generous amount of torque for righting.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,369 issued to Ingram on Aug. 6, 1996, outlines the use of a kayak safety buoyancy stirrup with an adjustable stirrup and an inflatable buoyancy bag flexibly attached to the deck of a kayak, permitting immediate deployment by a kayaker in the water on either side of the kayak. The buoyancy stirrup has sufficient buoyancy to allow a disabled kayaker to step out of the water immediately to prevent hypothermia and to lie across the device and the kayak deck in extreme emergencies.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,600 issued to Nordby on Oct. 10, 2000, outlines the use of a paddle floatation apparatus with a unitary inflatable sleeve that fits over a kayak or other shallow draft watercraft paddle blade. When installed on a paddle blade, the entire paddle may be configured as an outrigger to assist the user in righting the kayak and reentering the cockpit from the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,130 issued to Kuehne on May 14, 2002, outlines a control system for a sailing vessel for controlling the position of the sail and the rudder, and being affixed to a slidable seat apparatus. A movement of the seat apparatus does not alter the position of the sail or the rudder. A ballast control, steering control and sail control are located on the slidable seat apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,626 issued to Pons on Mar. 18, 2003, outlines the use of an on-board device for rescuing a person from the sea, enabling a conscious person to rescue himself or herself. A floating trailing end is adapted to be recovered by the person in the sea and serves as a control to actuate the release of a floating towrope element. The floating element is connected to the boat by an end serving as a towrope and a shock absorber. The floatation element is provided with towrope attachments and is symmetrical and has a hydrodynamic shape.
Although each of the devices outlined in these patents are useful and novel, what is really needed is an easy to use self-rescuing device that is specifically designed for kayaks. Such a device would be well-received and would meet a high demand in the marketplace.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a portable self-rescue device for kayakers solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The invention is a portable self-rescue device for a capsized kayaker used in combination with a kayak, on a body of water. The invention has an extendible telescopic arm with a proximal end and a distal end, a collapsible container attached to the distal end of the extendible telescopic arm and a collapsible ladder platform assembly with a retractable step. The extendible telescopic arm acts as a lever and the collapsible container fills with water and acts as a weight that counters a capsized kayaker as he or she climbs on the collapsible ladder platform assembly on the opposite side of the kayak.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a rapidly deployable self-rescue device for kayakers when their kayaks capsize.
It is another object of the invention to provide a self-rescue device for kayakers that is easy to deploy and use.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a self-rescue device for kayakers that is easily transportable on a kayak.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a self-rescue device that can be retrofit on existing kayaks.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.